The Illustrated Usk Observer and Raglan Herald

The Verdict. The jury accordingly withdrew, and after an ab. sence of about twenty minutes returned into court. Coroner: Have you agreed upon your verdict, gentlemen? Foreman: We have, sir. The jury find that the deceased died from the effect of foul violence inflicted' upon him in a firat-class carriage on the North London Railway on the night of the 9th July last, and they find that Franz Muller is the man who- inflicted the murder. Coroner: That is, in effect, a verdict of wilful murder against Franz Muller ? Foreman Yes, sir. And the jury wish to take this opportunity of expressing their serious dissatisfaction with the arrangements of the railway; and they desire that the attention of the Home Government should be called to the present defective system on railways, which facilitates the perpetration of outrages on property, person, and life; and that the Government should be urged to devise some means of ensuring to railway travellers protection from such outrages. Coroner: Very well, gentlemen; I shall transmit your recommendation to the proper quarter. The Coroner then issued his warrant for the deten- tion of Muller in Newgate until his trial, in due course, at the Central Criminal Court. The prisoner had been removed' in the custody of Inspector Tanner and the police during the summing up of the Coroner, and the storm of groans and hisses with which he was received by the mob in the streets rendered the remarks of the Coroner almost inaudible for some time. It may be mentioned that the sum- ming up of the learned Coroner against Muller was listened to with breathless attention by the densely crowded court.

Examination at Bow-street. It having become known that the prisoner, Franz Muller was to be taken to Hackney to be brought be. fore the Goroner at the adjourned inquest, at eight o'clock, and would only be brought to the court at eleven o'clock, the eager desire exhibited by the populace to obtain early possession of places to witness his arrival in the police van had somewhat abated, and the mob did not assemble so early or in quite so large numbers in front of the court. Indeed, until after nine o'clock there was scarcely any noticeable gather- ing in the street, and even so late as ten o'clock, though the multitude had become considerable, it fell short of the tremendous and overwhelming mass which swarmed and crushed from eod to en4 of Bow-street on the last occasion. At half-past ten, when the van ar. rived conveying Muller from Hackney, he was greeted, as before, by groans and cries of "There's Muller! but those sounds were not swelled by so many voices as on the former occasion. By eleven o'clock, how- ever, the crowd had immensely augmented, and the new comers (thinking they would be in time to witness the arrival of Muller) manifested considerable chagrin at their disappointment. At eleven o'clock Mr. Flowers took his seat on the bench, the ordinary cases having been disposed of as on the former occasion by Mr. Yaughan, who sat for that purpose in the board Union next door but one to the court. Mr. Giffard, the counsel for the crown, and Mr. Beard, the solicitor for the defence, were also in their places. The prisoner having been placed at the bar, Mrs. Reptch was recalled and sworn. Mr. Giffard: In your last examination you mentioned a conversation you had with the prisoner about a new hat; will you state what this conversation was ? Mrs. Reptch: I noticed that he had on a new hat. He said his old hat had got smashed in a dusthole, and he also told me he had had the new hat about two months. He told my husband that he had given 14s. 6d. for the new hat, upon which my husband remarked that it "looked a better hat than that;" and added, "It looks like a guinea one." Nothing more was said about the hat to my recalleo- tion, At the end of last year he brought a hat-bos to my house. I cannot say if it was in November or December. He told us that Mr. Matthews had made him a present of the hat. He showed me the hat, and I believe the one now produced is the same. [The hat found in the railway car- riage was shown to the witness.] I noticed the lining, which was a striped one-with wide brown and blue stripes, and small black and white edge. I described it before. I saw it at the police-station. I had frequently seen it, and I have noticed that he had a habit of putting his letters under the lining. On the Monday morning before his departure, when he showed me the chain and ring, he mentioned that he had bought them while lie was going to purchase his pas- sage ticket, and that he had only 2s. 6d. left after buying the chain. When I saw him on Saturday, July 9, he had a pair of dark trousers on—to the best of my belief a green and black mixture. He had only had them a very short time. He had on a plain morning coat, but I don't distinctly re- member whether it was a cloth one. I think it was. I have seg-n him in other coats, and I remember one with a velvet collar. Godfrey Ferdinand Reptch was next called. He deposed I am the husband of the last witness. On Saturday evening, the 9th July, I saw the prisoner at my house. He had on a morning coat and dark trousers—dark-brown or grey. They were any colour-I cannot be certain—every colour. They were very old, and had stripes; I cannot exactly say what colour, but I think there was brown in it. I remember his coming to me on the 11th July—the Monday. He had on a new hat. I said to him, You have got a new hat." My wife said he was very extravagant in having another new hat. He said he had had it about two months. Upon my inquiring what he gave for it he replied, Fourteen shillings and sixpence." The conversation was not in German, but in English. I said the hat was worth a guinea. He had on light trousers and a single-breasted, coat that morning. He remained till one o'clock that day. I saw him every day till he sailed. After the Saturday I never again saw him in l the dark trousers which he had on that day. At -the request of Mr. Beard the witness Jonathan Matthews was recalled for further cross-examination. Mr. Beard Have you been in court all the morning ? Matthews: No: I have only been in about five minutes. I came in when I was called. I cannot tell where I was on Saturday, July 9. I don't recollect where I was that night, nor whether I was at Edmonton that day. I have been at Norwich., I dare say it was about fourteen years ago. I think it was about 1850. Mr. Beard: You ought to know the exact date; you have reason to recollect it. Witness: Yes, I know I have. Mr. Beard I shall not ask you anything more. Eliza Matthews (wife of the last witness): I have known the prisoner, Franz Muller, about two years. He used to work for my brother-in-law, Mr. Wild, of Tooley-street, tailor. I first know him. there. He eame to my house between two and three o'clock on the afternoon of Monday, July 11. He sat a little time before he began to talk. He mentioned that he had come direct from Mr. Reptch to wish us good-bye before sailing for New York. He told me that the firm was going to send him out. That was the firm of Hodgkinson and Co., for whom he worked. He said they were to pay him £ 150 a year, and that he should like to be paid half-yearly. He also said that he had met with an accident, and that during his illness the firm continued to pay him, and they paid his doctor for him. I paid him 3s. that day for a little packet of tea that he had bought a week or so previously. My sister ■_ was present when I paid him the 3s.; her name is Mrs. Mabbs. We had just done tea when she came in, and she heard a portion of the, conversation. She paid him Is. 6d. After tea he showed me a new Albert guard chain, and put it into my hand, asking me what I thought, of it. He said it was a very nice one. He then put the chain back in his button-hole, and produced a little card-box with the name of Death upon it. I remarked that it was a good jeweller's. My little girl had the box to play with that afternoon. I saw a ring on the prisoner's finger. It was a plain gold ring, with a white cornelian head, with a prominent nose. He said his father had sent it to him from Germany. He went away from my house about six o'clock in the evening. I walked with him some distance towards his omnibus. He walked short and lame. I wished him "Good bye!" He said "I won't say 'Good bye,' because I am coming to-morrow to see your husband." The next morning, about half-past eight, my husband stood accidentally on the little card box, having knocked it off the table. He said something, and I picked it up and put it away in a drawer. The prisoner had given it to my little girl. At about ten o'clock the following Monday night I gave the box to my husband. John Henry Glass: I live at 91, Henry-street, Hampstead- road, and am a tailor in the employ of Mr. Hodgkinson, I have known the prisoner about four years. On Tuesday, 12th July, he came to me in the shop and asked me if I would buy a watch, which he showed to me. He said he would call again on Wednesday. He came about nine o'clock, and we went together to the shop of a, pawnbroker, Mr. Barker, to get the chain out of pawn. We then went to Cox's, in Leicester-square, and pawned the watch and chain for 24. The prisoner took the money, and I took the duplicate, for which I gave 5s. more, making my advance amount to £ 1 5s., that is, £1 to release the chain and 5s. for the ticket. They were pawned in my name. We then parted, and he said he was going to the docks to get his ticket. At about seven o'clock in the evening of the same day (Wednesday), he came round again to wish me good oye. (The watcli and eh-ain produced by tht- pawnbroker's assiMwat were nhowa to this witness, who identified them.) James Gifford, agent to Messrs. Grinnell, shipowner, North Quay, London Docks Our office opens at about nine o'clock. I recollect the prisoner coming there at about eleven o'clock on the morning of Wednesday, July 13. He asked the price of a passage to New York, and I replied that, it would be £ 4. He then, inquired when the ship would sail. I replied" To-morrow." He then went away. He returned to me about two o'clock on the Wed- nesday. He then said, I have, come to pay my fare," and he paid me L4, upon which I gave him his contract ticket, and he went away. He came again about half-past three with his luggage, consisting- of three .parcels, one large one and two smaller ones. I noticed one of them was done up in canvas, about eighteen inches long by uineteen wide. I cannot say if the substance was soft or hard, but I think it was soft. He had a box besides. He asked me to take care of the parcels, which I declined to do, telling him that he must leave them with the foreman of the docks, at the shed. He then took them away. He came down the next day, and was on the ship when she hauled away from the docks, on Tuesday afternoon, to Shadwell Basin. Thomas Baine, a pawnbroker's assistant, in the employ of Messrs. George and Cox, 27, Princes-street, Leicester- Square, produced a watch and chain pledged 011 the 13th of July. He took them in, but he could not swear to the per- son who pledged them.. The name On the ticket was Henry Glass," and it corresponded with the duplicate produced by the witness Glass. Mr. Daniel Digance deposed; I am a hatter, at No. 18, Royal Exchange. I have known the late Mr. Thomas Briggs for many years as a customer. For 25 or 30 years I have made every hat he has had during that period. I see by my books that I had an order for a hat on the 24th Sept., 1853. It was made expressly for him, and sent home a few days after. Mr. Brig-gs afterwards came- into the shop, and complained that the hat was rathen too easy, and I pasted a piece of paper under the leather banc]. The paper has been removed, but there are some fragments left showing the place where it was, and from which it has. been torn off. When I sold thøflat to Mr. Briggs the crown was higher than this. The hat is decidedly not in the same condition as when I sold it. The crown has been cut down about an inch, or from that to am inch and a half. The alteration has apparently not been made by a professional hatter. It has been stitched on, whereas a.man in the trade, if he had to do such a thing, would have fastened it with a proofing- necessitating the use of a block. Inspector Walter Kerressey, of the K Division, Bow, sworn: On the 10th of July, at ten in the morning, I went to the Bow railway station. I saw in a shed there No. 69 first-class carriage. The off-side handle of the door was bloody. I then went to 5, Clapton-square, and saw Mr. Briggs. I examined his hands to see if there were any marks of blood upon. them. There were no marks. I noticed ahook on Mr. Briggs's waistcoat. Mr. Briggs, jun., afterwards took it off in my presence, and gave it to me. I now produce it. I also produce the gold chain Mr Death identifies. I received it from Mr. Death. I also produce a jump ring I received from Sergeant Prescott. I received it in the presence of Mr. Brereton, the surgeon. Francis Toulmin sworn I live at Lower Clapton, and am a surgeon. I was for many years the medical attendant of the late Mr. Briggs. I saw him on Sunday morning, the 9th of July, between two and three o'clock. I saw him at the Mitford Arms, a public-house in the neighbourhood of Old Ford. He was removed to his own house under my supervision. He was removed between the hours of six and eight o'clock that morning. I saw him before nine o'clock again at his own house. I saw him repeatedly during the day, till just before he died. He died at a quarter to twelve o'clock on the Sunday. I made a post-mortem examination of the. body on Tuesday, the 12th. Mr. Brereton and other medical gentlemen were present. On the left ear when I examined the body, was a jagged wound that divided the cartilage. Anterior to that, more forwards to- wards the eyebrow, was a deeper wound penetrating to the bone, but was subsequently found not to have entered the cavity of the cranium. On the scalp there were several in- cised wounds, most of them being about three-quarters of an inch in length. There must have been four or five. One however, was three inches long. On removing- the scalp the skull was found to be extensively fractured, the fissures extending in various directions. The temporal bone was found driven in and comminuted. On raising- the skull cap much blood was found between the bone and the dura mater. There was also a considerable effusion of blood between the dura mater and the brain itself. No disease was discovered in heart, lungs, or liver. The cause of death consider to be fracture of the skull and compression of the brain. I should consider the wounds infiieted on the skull were done with a blunt instrument forcibly used. I Alfred Henry Brereton, surgeon, of Old Bow-road, sworn I was sent for about eleven o'clock on the 9th of July to go to the Mitford Arms to see Mr. Briggs. He was stretched on a table, and, I removed him to an upper room. He was placed on a mattrass on a table. He suffered apparently irom compression of the brain, and he vomited. I found a, jagged wound across the cartilage of the left ear- also another wound in front of the same. ear. About the same ear there was a scalp tumour or swelling. On the vertex of the head there were two severe wounds, and the scalp was more or less grazed over; there were cuts all over it in addition to the two wounds. I endeavoured to restore re- action. I attended him until six .o'clock next morning, Sunday, the 10th of July, but failed to restore re- action. I examined the line where the body wSs found in the morning, at three o'clock. I left a surgeon with Mr. Briggs. I went with my brother and a railway porter, and I found in the middle of the six-foot way a mound of earth saturated with blood. I saturated aa envelope with it to satisfy myself it was blood. I found a round smooth stone at the spot, in the centre of the blood. It had blood and liaii upon it. I afterwards, about six o'clock the same morning, examined the first-class railway carriage pointed out to me at Bow. On the off side on one of the cushions there was a patch of blood of the size of a half-crown and on the opposite side a smear of blood as if some one had wiped his finger on the cushion. I found blood spurted on the off panels externally, the iron step, and the wooden rails that run throughout the whole, on tke foot board, and the iiind wheel of the carriage. The blood in the carriage was quite fresh, still liquid. I found a link of a gold chain em- bedded into the mat on the near side, in front of the seat that had so much blood on it. I was present at the post mortem examination, but took no part in it. I observed it sufficiently to speak of the cause of death. Fracture of the skull, producing compression of the brain, was the cause of death. Frederick WUliam Thorne: I live at 46, Hatfield-street, Stamford-street, Blackfiiars-road. I am a hat manufacturer. I made the hat produced. It contains my private mark. I finished that hat for Mr. Digance. It is not in the same con- dition now as when I finished it. The hat has been cut down The work is not done as a hatter would do it. This has been sewn together. Samuel Tidmarsh sworn. He said: I live in Church-street, Hackney. I am a watchmaker. I knew the late Mr. Thomas Briggs for seven or eight years. He was a customer of mine. I believe I know the watch produced (watch produced) I know this was Mr. Briggs's watch. On the 6th of February, lo63,1 cleaned it for him then, and I have the number in my books. Inside the case there are figures made by me in 1 ebruary, on the occasion of my cleaning it. Edward Duggan, 71 K: I was on duty in Bow-lane at a quarter past ten o'clock on the night of the 9th of July. I heard a cry that there was a man on the line. I saw a man carried off the line by several persons. He was taken to the Mitford Arms public-house. I searched him. I found one black stud in the shirt bosom. The shirt was much rumpled in front. [The stud was produced.] In his left-hand trousers-pocket I found four sovereigns and a bunch of keys. The keys have been returned to the bank, so that I cannot produce them. In the left-breast pocket was a florin and the half of a. railway ticket. In the right- hand trousers-pocket 8s. 6d. in silver and copper. In the side coat-pocket was a number of letters by which I iden- tified him, also some newspapers, and a diamond ring on the left hand little linger. There was a patent fastening to the waistcoat button hole. I did not understand taking it out, and I left it there. I saw the place where the body was found. I measured the distance from that spot to the Bow station, and found it to be 1,434 yards. I made it 740 yards to the Hackney-wick station. The entire length of the line from Bow to Hackney-wick is one one mile 41 yards from Station to station. At this stage of the proceedings, the court adjourned for ten minutes. At the conclusion of the adjournment, Benjamin Eanes, sworn, said-I am a guard, No. 18, on the North London Railway. I was the guard of the train that left Fenchurch-street Station at 9.50 p.m., on the night of the 9th of July last. The train was five minutes late at starting. The same train arrives and goes back. We were ten minutes late in arriving—that made us five minutes late m starting. On the train arriving at Hackney, my atten- tion was drawn to a first-class carriage. This was about half a minute after the train stopped. The compartment to which my attention was called was a first-class one, nearest the engine, numbered 69. I ran and got my lamp. I found the gentleman there who called my attention to lt- {he carriage door was open. The gentleman told me he opened it himself. On examining the, carriage I found spots of blood on the near side cushion, and on the quarter light on the near side the mark of blood, and blood trickling down from the glass. The blood was about the size of a crown piece. I tried if the door had been opened on the off side. It was closed, and upon the handle there were marks of blood. I found the handles damp, and on examining my hand I saw it was blosad. I found a hat and stick under the seat. The hat was crushed up like that— something like that (hat produced). I found a stick and has- The bag was on the seat, on the engine side. I left rnfr? ajlt' hat in the carriage until we arrived at Chalk Farm. I saw Mr. Greenwood, the station master, at Chalk Farm. I telegraphed to him from Hackney., I pointed out the carriage to hira. Inspector Tanner, of the detective force, deposed: By direction of the Chief Commissioner of Police, I have had the conduct of this inquiry. I left London with Sergeant Clarke on the 19th of July last; on the 25th of August we boarded the ship Victoria, in the harbour of New York, and apprehended the prisoner. We placed him with nine other men in the saloon. Mr. Death then went below, and picked the prisoner out from among them as being the man from whom he had received the gold chain identified by young Mr. Briggs as his father's property. I told the prisoner tha.t I was an officer of police from London, and that I held a warrant for his apprehension on the charge of having murdered Mr. Briggs: I told him he would have to be examined in America, and then to return to England as my prisoner to answer the charge. I asked him if he had said he had lost a ring. He said, "No, not lost; it must have been stolen." I asked him what sort of a ring it was. He said, A gold ring with a stone." I said, Was it a red stone ? He replied, "No. it was a white one." I said, "Yon mean a gold ring with a plain white stone." He said, No, not a plain white stone it was a white stone with a. head upon it. He told me that he bought it at a jeweller's in Cheap- side. The ring was not found. I took possession of the prisoner's things, and he sltid it was all the effects he had. I heard the witness Giffard describe the canvas parcel which the prisoner took to the London docks, but there was nothing of the kind in his possession, and his large box was not a quarter full. Mr. Beard; Did you find some papers on the prisoner ? Witness: Yea- Mr. Beard: Then I ask that they may be given up to his friends. Inspector Tanner said they were not important. Mr. Giffard: There will be no objection to that if the papers are not material. Mr. Beard was satisfied. ■ Mr. Giffard: That is my case for the prosecution. I must now ask you, sir, to commit the prisoner on this charge. Mr. Beard said his defence would be reserved. Mr. Flowers asked the prisoner, as a matter of form, if he hadroIything to say in answer to the charge ? Prisoner I have nothing to say nQw. The witnesses were then bound over, and the prisoner was fully committed for trial. As soon as it became known outside the court that the prisoner was committed for trial, and would shortly be re- moved, the crowd augmented rapidly in numbers, and the excitement increased. In about an hour the van arrived, and Muller was led out from the court, guarded as usual by a number of constables, and conveyed to the van amid the groans and yells of the crowd. The infuriated mob made a rush at the van, but before they could reach it Muller had been safely lodged inside*, and the door was closed, and the vehicle driven away.

MB. DISRAELI ON AGRICULTURAL TOPICS. Mr. Disraeli waa on Wednesday a guest at the annual meeting of the Royal and Central Bueka Agricultural Association, at Aylesbury, and in re- sponding to the toast of The County and Borough Members, touched upon various agricultural questions. Utility of Agricultural Societies. Speaking at the outset on this point he said ■ I always took a great interest in these annual meetings of the Royal Buckingham Agricultural Association. I was present at its first dinner-I will not say that I hope to be at its last (a laugh) but certainly as long as I can attend I shall be happy to do so. It is a very long time since we first met together-more than thirty years-and at that time, and for some thne. afterwards, there was a very sharu criticism respecting these associations. For myself, I never doubted that the principle upon which they were founded was a right^ and a sound principle, and, throwing aside ail other considerations, if their only effect were to bring together the various classes of agriculturists, that alone woulobe a very great benefit (hear, hear). But, gentlemen since these agricultural associations were first instituted' which are now sprsad over the whole country, the verv critics we met have followed our example; but, with respect to their,exhibition of manufacturing skill and manufacturing ingenuity, I shall never offer the criticisms which they have made upon us (hear, hear). I very much admire those ex- hibitions. I think they have done a great deal for the country, and I am glad that those who were violently opposed to us have followed our example. I think all these means, by which different classes of society are brought together, and new objects of interest and new sources of in- terest are open to them, have a beneficial effect on the general temper and condition of the country. The Harvest. He congratulated his audience on there being a very good harvest. It was, as far as the country generally was concerned, of a very high character- but he had reason to believe that there was no county in which the harvest was more complete and pros- perous than in the county of Buckingham (hear). Every impartial man who clearly observes what is taking place m this country cannot withstand the conviction thit the commitments of the country are too great, and that we have entered into engagements which it is difficult to fulfil (hear, hear). Well, a good harvest has not only put monev into your pockets, has not only enriched an important class but has averted the ill consequences of an extreme state of excitement ajid .speculation; and, probably, if it has not entirely saved us from the injurious consequences of such a condition, it has postponed their occurrence, and, by post- poning their occurrence,, has given the opportunity of having recourse to more prudential arrangements, which may miti- gate these ill consequences (hear, hear). Landlords. The right hon. gentleman then spoke of the various classes connected with agriculture. As to landlords, he did not think it could now be said, as of old, that a j man investing in land should look for no more interest than he would get from consols, for he would not now get so much. He is the possessor of property which by the constitution of this country is invested with the performance of public duties, and does not look for thosfi returns which other sources of investment provide. But although a landed pro- prietor may not obtain the greater-return which proprietors of other capital obtain, he must remem.bffic- this that h° possesses a. property which has this peculiarity—that it is always increasing in value, and that its increase of value does nou really depend upon the rate of interest it produces n a./ey5r remarkable but undeniable circumstance (near, hefir). In a country of advancing prosperity, increas- ing population, and increasing- wealth the landowner pos- S6S^?S a ProPei^y which there is only a limited nortion, and however slight may bo the return which he obtains for the investment, still, from the popularity of the property, from the manner in which our social system has invested it with the performance of public duties, and the consequent respect and honour, it is a property always increasing in value; and if that be so, the owner of such property has no right to complain (hear, hear), i i J The American War Speaking of sources of profit in farming, the right hon. gentleman recommended the crossing of the Downs sheep with Cotswold, expressing his surprise at the Bucks farmers having only short woolled sheep. He differed from those who thought that the high price of wool was 0\\ ing to the American war:— The tendency of late has been that all articles of raw material, particularly wool, have been rising in price, and when I look at the fact that mixed fabrics, that make the industry of Yorkshire, are becoming more popular in the market, it is clear that wool is an article of raw produce for which there is a greater demand, and if there had been no civil war you would have had a high price for wool, and it would have been the best wool (hear, hear). But as to the American war, he continued When it broke out I was dining at a table of a similar character—I think in Buckingham. Great anxiety was manifested to know what would happen in America, and I took the opportunity of saying—being obliged to give my opinion—that that war would be a very Ion" war. The general idea was that it would be a very short war, and the American Minister of State announced it as a war of ninety days. I ventured to say that it would be. a long war, because the causes of that war had been for a. long time in preparation. I therefore did not believe that it would be a short war, and the causes of that war are causes that do not lead to short wars. The emancipation of a race, the creation or the defence of national independence, or the maintenance of a great empire—when causes of this kind lead people to enter into war they must not be confounded with those comparatively small causes which have brought about the generality of European wars in modern times (hear, hear). When nations go to war to what they call rectify a frontier, or employ an army, these are causes necessarily of a brief duration, because their frontier is rectified or not, and the army which wants to be employed has either a sufficient number shot or promoted, and peace naturally takes place. But the issues in the American war are vast and profound, and it is not to be supposed, when men enter into struggles of that kind, they will throw them aside like children tired of a new toy. I therefore have great hesitation in believing I cannot bring myself to believe-that we are so near peace in. America as is supposed. The fact is that there are occa- sions when the destinies of nations demand wars, when war is the only solution of difficulties which perplex the ordinary means of human wit; and the struggle in America is a war of this kind. I do not look upon the peace demonstrations that we have read in the newspapers, although some have accepted them as proofs that we are nearer a settlement, as anything better than mere electioneering devices. Labourers. The right. hon. gentleman next spoke of labourers as the third agricultural class, congratulating the county on the tendency, for many years past, to au increase of the wages of the agricultural labourer- He advocated the importance of looking well to the habitations the labourers occupied. There were great difficulties in the way. There was the investment of capital, for though he thought the profit more imnifr- diate and direct than was generally supposed, they had not the means to effect the change instan- taneously. Take a model estate of 2,000 acres. On that estate you require a minimum of 60 cottages. The expenditure for creating 60 cottages would probably be £ 6,000' or £ 7,000. I have seen the estimate of such an expenditure. Well, how is a man to expend je6,000 or £7,000, which is, perhaps, three times his rental, unless he has that which we have no right to suppose-other sources of capital ? No one expects anything of the kind. No one expects that because you have discovered a want in your social system and a duty to perform that it is to be done in a manner injurious to yourselves. You cannot expect every landed proprietor to be-a Duke of Northumberland-a man whose hand is as extensive- as his fortune, and who built cottages on 2QQ;000 aeres ai an expense of some £ 503,000. Her Majesty conferred a riband on the Duke of Northumberland because he created a Channel fleet at the moment we had none; but the man who lays out £500,000 in building cottages on his estate, as much deserves a blue riband as the man who creates a Channel fleet, or even at the head of a Channel fleet leads us on to victory (cheers). Every man cannot do what the Duke of Northumberland has done, but every man can do something. He may build a few cottages, or repair others., You ought to keep before your eye, clearly and closely, the object you have to attain, and avail yourself of every oppoiv tunity of accomplishing the result (hear, hear). The other day I saw some inferior tenements built by persons who speculate in huilding cottages. These inferior tenements were purchased and converted into excellent cottages—not exacoly model cottages, but cottages in which a man may live in health and in some degree of comfort and happiness. The subject was an important one, and every one should do something for the greatness of a country dependent on the race that filled it. In conclusion, the right hon gentleman intimated his intention to offer a prize of .£5 for the best kept cottage.

A PAINFUL OASE. A Mrs. Samuel Smith applied at the London Guild. hall on Monday for advice. She said: "About January last, my son, who was an only child, wished to go to sea. I inserted an advertisement in the news- papers, and received a reply to it from Mr. Edward West, trading under the name of Laing and Co" of 27, Coleman-street. I applied there and saw Mr. West, who asked me X-20 as premium for my son being apprenticed to the Messrs. Powell and Co., ship- owners, of 61, Cornhill, the same firm that had dealings with Devonshire and Co. I said that I was not then in a position to give so much as .£20, and it was eventually agreed between us that I should give £11 and a note of hand for £ 10 more. Well, sir. this was done, and my boy was shipped in one of Messrs. Powell's vessels, and within eight days after she had sailed she was wrecked and the crew lost, my poor boy included. My trials are not yet ended, for I am sued on the = £ 10 bill by Mr. Edward West, and I want to know whether I shall be compelled to pay the costs of the writ, which amount to .£3, if I give him the £10." "Well," said Mr. Alderman Hale, "I don't envy them their feelings. I have heard a great many things but never a more severe case than this. I don't see"how I can assist you further than to send and request the attendance of Mr. West, who may be able to explain the matter." Mr. West came, and said that although the summons was made out in his name, Mr. Powejl was the principal. ultimately Mr. West said ha would accept the £ 19, and give her a receipt in full. This was done.

NEW AUSTRALIAN SETTLEMENT. It is well-known, says the Brisbane Ceuriei•, that the Impe- rial Government have, in conjunction with the Government of Queensland, decided on establishing a settlement on the north-east coast of Australia, in the neighbourhood of Caoe York. The site originally chosen for the proposed settle- ment was Port Albany, a small bay in the strait between Albany Island and the mainland, and the town was to have been built on the island. Subsequently the views, of the Government were modified, and a point of the mainland called Point Somerset, immediately opposite, was fixed upon as the site of the new settlement. In the early part of this year her Majesty's steamship Salamander was put in commission under the command of the Hon. J. Carnegie, for the purpose of proceeding to Port Albany. She arrived in Sydney at the beginning of .June, and, after a stay of about a fortnight, left for Moreton Bay, where she arrived on the 26th of June. While in Sydney Captain Carnegie chartered the barque Golden Eagle for the purpose of con- veying the necessary stores and materials for the new settlement from Brisbane to Point Somerset. This vessel arrived in Moreton Bay on the 30th of June, and on the 13th of July cleared out with the materials for houses and the stores for the establishment of the settlement. She would also- convey the different civil officers to the settle- ment, which is to be named Somerset, after the First Lord of the Admiralty. For the protection of the townshin a detachment of about twenty marines, under the charge of Lieutenant Pascoe, will be stationed on the spot. The chiei civil officer will be Mr. Jardine, late police magistrate at Rockhampton, who is to be police magistrate and commis- sioner of crown lands. The Rev. L. Rumsey, late of Ipswich, has been appointed as clerk of petty sessions, and he will also act in his clerical capacity as a minister of religion. Mr. W. C. B. Wilson proceeds with the party to survey and lay out the town; and the medical charge of the settlement has been confided to Dr. Haran, of the 'Royal Navy. The first sale of land will be held at Brisbane about the close of the year. The eyes of many of the restless per- our population are eagerly directed towards this new settlement in the far north.

The Federal Debt.-The official statement of the public debt on the 30th of August shows the amount outstanding to be 1,878,565,234 dollars, and the in- terest, in both coin and lawful money,, 77,447,122 dol- lars,, or an increase of the public debt since the 2nd of August of 53,0-73,000 dollars, and of interest 1,029 000 dollars. The debt bearing interest in ooin'ia now 889,899,492dollars the debt heaTingiu,t0restin lawful money, 4S9j197,000 dollars; the debt on which interest nas ceased, 357,4/0 dollars^, the debt bearing no in- terest, 519,111,267 dollars. The unpaid requisitions are 78,795,000. dollars; and- the amount in the Trear sury, ,17,188^18 Y<ttk Shining Ust, Sept. 3.